England seal convincing Series win

7 May 2017 | Cricket
England wrapped up a convincing series victory over Ireland after securing an 85-run win on an historic occasion at sun-soaked Lord\'s.

A fine, fluent 72 not out from Jonny Bairstow pushed England up to 328 as they batted first under morning cloud that broke in the afternoon while skipper Eoin Morgan and Joe Root also racked up scores in the seventies.

Though Paul Stirling got Ireland off to a rapid start, regular wickets fell after he departed and once captain William Porterfield was removed for an excellent 82, England were able to dismiss the visitors for 243. Joe Root returned his best ODI figures, taking 3/52 and Liam Plunkett took 3/23 off eight overs.

Porterfield won the toss and opted to bowl on what was only Ireland's second visit to Lord's and their first clash at the home of cricket against England. Alex Hales and Jason Roy got England off to a solid start in overcast conditions, the latter drilling Tim Murtagh down the ground for a glorious straight four early on.

Hales drove Peter Chase ferociously through the covers for four before he fell for 32, Murtagh getting one to nip back and clip his leg stump. After another sublime straight drive, Roy went too, driving uppishly to Stirling at cover off Barry McCarthy.

Root and Morgan sought to rebuild and were quickly doing much more than that, the captain lashing the fourth ball of his innings down the ground for six. And both were keen to target the short leg side boundary towards the Grandstand from either end.

Root dabbed delightfully over his head for a boundary after Morgan had thrashed Dockrell for six over mid-wicket but the England skipper was then lucky to escape as a ball from Stirling trickled down off his bat and hit the stumps without dislodging a bail.

 

The pair brought up their respective fifties in successive deliveries - Root’s 21st in ODIs, Morgan’s 32nd - but both would fall short of three figures. Root chipped Chase to Andy Balbirnie at mid off for 73, then Morgan did the same to Ed Joyce at cover off McCarthy for 76.

Sam Billings had made seven before he was caught on the boundary by Kevin O’Brien, trying to take on Dockrell, but by then Jonny Bairstow was moving through the gears. He and Adil Rashid scampered between the wickets well before launching a final onslaught as the overs ticked down.

Bairstow smashed Murtagh for two big sixes before Rashid fell for a very handy 39, gloving one to the keeper. But having passed fifty, Bairstow then heaved Chase for 10 off the final two balls of the innings to finish 72 not out as England ended on 328/6. They had taken 61 off the final four overs.

Ireland got off to a flying start in reply, Stirling hitting David Willey for three boundaries in a row before he whacked Mark Wood into the Grandstand. Ireland’s 50 came up in just seven overs but then Stirling edged Jake Ball behind to Billings to depart for 48.

 

Joe Root accounted for Ed Joyce, getting one to race on and pierce the opener’s defences, before Liam Plunkett removed Andy Balbirnie LBW for just two. Niall O’Brien perished for 15, caught by Willey on the long on fence trying to repeat the six he'd hit the previous over.

Porterfield continued to accumulate steadily but kept losing partners at the other end. Gary Wilson made 13 before he chipped Root to Alex Hales on the offside fence. Then Kevin O’Brien top edged Rashid to Ball after clearing the ropes off both England’s spinners.

But when Dockrell came to the crease, Ireland upped the tempo. He and Porterfield took 28 runs from two overs after the drinks break as the required rate was brought down to just over 10. But Mark Wood broke the partnership, bowling Porterfield for 82 as he shuffled across his stumps.

Both McCarthy and Murtagh were caught by Ball off the bowling of Liam Plunkett, both for two. Dockrell continued to play fluently, as last man Chase prolonged the inevitable, before the former was yorked by Wood to seal an 85-run win.

The last remaining tickets for England's ICC Champions Trophy clash with New Zealand in Cardiff on June 6th are now on sale here: www.icc-cricket.com/tickets

Watch the highlights of the game at Lord's below